Electric time-alarm.



Patented Nov. 7, |899.

G. E. FRANK.

ELECTRIC TIME ALARM.

(Application filed Jan. 20, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [UIQ Modei.)

No. 636,656. E Patented N0v.`7, |699.

6. E. FRANK.

ELECTRIC TIME ALARM.

(Application'led Jan. 20, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

'a l l l 6,76 m,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEm GEORGE E. FRANK, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IIALF TO J. A. LANSING, OE SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC TIME-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 636,656, dated November7, 1899.

Application filed January 20, 1899. Serial No. 702,816. (No model.)

To tZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE E. FRANK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTime-Alarms; and .Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to timing apparatus, and especially is designedfor use in connection with galvanoplastic processes in order to notifythe operator when articles have been subjected to the galvanic actionfor a sufficient time, the apparatus being more especially designed fortiming the galvanic action iu a series of separate tanks or baths; butit will be understood that the apparatus may be employed for othertiming operations, as for sounding an alarm at predetermined intervals,without departing from the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation ofa timing apparatus embodying my present improvements. Fig. 2 is a topplan view with the face and cover plates removed to show underlyingparts. Fig. 3 is a vertical section. Fig. 4 is a detail bottom plan viewof the preferred form of hands for the time-train.

Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

In carrying the invention into practice any preferred forni of base orcasing may be employed to contain the working parts, a castiron case,such as A, being preferably used, however, because best calculated towithstand the rough usage, dirt, and deteriorating effects due to itsuse in a plating or similar plant, and, in fact, it will be borne inmind that the whole apparatus is designed to run and operate with greatcertainty in most trying situations and when exposed to the dust anddirt invariably incident to galvanoplastic operations for practicalpurposes.

Within the case A a clockwork B of any approved pattern is located,preference being given to one having a strong main or driving spring.The clockwork is preferably insulated from the case by washers h, and toit is connected a wire C, extending to an ordinary electric bell D. Fromthe other bell-terminal a wire C extends to a resistance-coil C2 andthence to a terminal binding-post E, supported by the case at anysuitable point. The case is covered by a plate F, preferably ofnon-conducting material, held in place by screws f, and this cover-plateE is adapted to support the face-plate G, (shown in front elevation,Fig. 1,) a space being left between the two to permit dirt andaccumulations to drop away. The cover-plate and face-plate areperforated to give access to the winding-stem and regulating-lever, andthe slot through which the lever is reached is provided with a slide orcover f', by which it may be closed to prevent entry of dirt.

The face-plate G is of met-al and is connected by a wire g with thebinding-post E' on the case adjacent to the post E. The faceplate ismarked with twelve main divisions, indicating in the form shown hoursand corresponding in this respect to the face of a clock, and inaddition to the major divisions it has between the maj or divisions twosets of minor divisions, each representing minutes in multiple of ten;but the divisions in one set are arranged intermediate those in theother set on radial lines. Thus in the illustrated eX- ample theindications in one set read 5, 15, 25, the., and those in the other setread 10, 20, 30, ttc. Holes H are formed on each division clear throughthe face-plate and are adapted for the reception of terminal pins K,preferably split, as shown, and bearing on their heads marks todistinguish them apart and preferably corresponding to the tank to whichthey relate.

The min utc-hand arbor of the clock is preferably omitted,and thehour-hand arbor bears a hand which in its travel will strike a pinplaced in any one of the time-division openings and through theelectrical connections before described, a suitable source ofelectricity being connected with the binding-posts E E', will sound thebell.

In order to prevent the stopping of the clock when the hand strikes thepin, I may make the hand elastic or its connection with the arborelastic. Thus, as shown in the drawings, the arbor is provided with apointer or hand IOO kIO

L, whichoccupies a fixed relation to the arbor, and in addition it isprovided with a longer spring-pressed hand L', held forward against astop Z by its spring, but capable of remaining stationary for aconsiderable time should it strike a pin, as illustrated in Fig. l. Thisarrangement permits the circuit to be kept closed until the attendantremoves the pin without in any way interrupting the running of theclock. rl`hus when a series of pins have been set up the bell will berung for each one exactly at the right interval. In other words, therewill be no retardation due to the hands striking any one ofthe priorpins.

In instances where it is desired that the attendant should not removethe pin, but that the bell should ring fora given time and then cease, apin of the form illustrated at lil may be employed, the constructionbeing such that the top of the pin is rounded and the hand contactingtherewith will ride up over the pin and down again, continuing itsmovement to the next pin.

Nith the arrangement described now it will be seen that with acomparatively small face-plate the time may be subdivided to give almostan unlimited range of variation for the intervals between the pins, andin manipulating a series of tanks pins corresponding to those tanks maybe set at the desired minute and the alarm or bell will be sounded,notifying' the attendant that it is time to remove the articles beingplated from each tank in succession.

For the purpose of permitting the device to be used in the shunt of anordinary working circuit a coil C2 is employed in the bell-circuit,thereby choking ott a large portion of the current and permitting` onlysuiiicient to pass for ringing the bell. inasmuch as the clock is liableto run down without the fact being discovered by the attendant, Iprovide an alarm-circuit for indicating this fact.

Reference being had to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that to thecover-plate there are attached two inwardly-extending spring-arms N, theposition of the arms being such that they will contact with themainspring of the clock when the same becomes distended to a point wherethe clock is liable to stop. These arms are connected by awire N withthe binding-post E', Thus when the spring is distended the arms comingin contact with the spring will complete the circuit through the bell,and the bell will be sounded until-the spring is rewoundu Should theholes in the face-plate become stopped up with dirt er accumulations ofany kind, it is obvious that pins being pushed into said holes willforce the dirt out at the back, and because of the space between theface and cover plates it will drop away from the apparatus, leaving theparts in cleanly condition and ready for eitective operation.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire tosecu re by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is

l. In a time-alarm, the combination with a casing, the cover-plate forclosing said casing and the metallic face-plate supported outside ofsaid cover-plate with a free open passage between the two for theescape-of dirt, dust, &c., said face-plate having a series of timegradnations and a corresponding series of apertures therein, of a clockworkmounted in said casing, a hand moved by said clockwork and locatedoutside of the face-plate, a series of removable pins adapted to enterthe apertures in the face-plate and with which the hand contacts and anelectric circuit including an electric alarm and connected respectivelywith the clockwork and face-plate substantially as described.

2. ln a time-alarm, the combination with a casin g, a clockwork in saidcasin g and a coverplate i'or closing said casin g having a centralaperture for the clock-arbor and a slot over the clock-regulator, of ametallic face-plate supported by, but removed. from the coverplate toafford a passage for the escape of dirt, dust, dsc., and having acentral clock-arbor aperture, a slot over the clock-regulator and aseries of apertures corresponding` to graduations of time, a closure forthe regulator-slot mounted on the cover-plate and havin g a handleprojecting out between the cover and face plates, a hand mounted on theclock-arbor and overlying the face-plate,a series of pins adapted toenter the time-apertures in the faceplate, and an electric circuitincluding an electric alarm and connected respectively with theclockwork and face-plate; substantially as described.

3. In a time-alarm, the combination with a casing, a clockwork locatedtherein and an insulated face-plate having perforations corresponding todivisions of time, of a visual hand projecting beyond thetime-perforations and connected with the clockwork through a springconnection whereby the hand may be arrested in its movement withoutstopping the' clock, series of pins adapted to enter said perforationsin the path of the hand and to arrest the same, and an electric circuitincluding the hand, said pins and an electric alarm,whereby an alarmwill be sounded when the hand strikes a pin and will continue to besounded until the pin is removed, but without stopping the clock;substantially as described.

GEORGE E. FRANK.

Witnesses:

E. ELDRIDGE, JOHN Tarpon,

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